Wolves return to action this evening as the Old Gold welcome Burnley to Molineux in the Carabao Cup. Aside from wanting to see his side progress in the cup, Gary O’Neil will be most eager to witness an improvement on Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea. Wolves lost 6-2 at Molineux in the first home game of the Premier League season, making Wednesday night’s fixture all the more important. Several stars will be eager to redeem themselves as a result of their performances against the Blues, with a chance also there for some to make their mark.
The need to see a higher level of performance from Rayan Ait-Nouri goes without saying after his horror show against Chelsea. In a rare 90 minutes of nightmares, the Algerian was exposed at left-back, adding emphasis to his need to redeem himself this evening at Molineux. What could be a masterstroke from O’Neil is to exercise his very few options at left-back to allow the 23-year-old to assume a position higher up, where his attacking strengths can flourish.
After securing only 10 Premier League starts last season, the manager has shown great faith in Jean-Ricner Bellegarde early into this campaign. The Frenchman has started both of Wolves’ opening fixtures and must now grasp the opportunity there for him to finally lock down consistent football at Molineux. Against Burnley, a bright performance could be decisive to how Bellegarde’s season looks, with competition set to rise once more after deadline day.
In a similar position to Ait-Nouri comes Toti Gomes, who has been one of Wolves’ worst performers in the early stages of the season. It’s unlike the defender, who shone last term in O’Neil’s back line, hinting at the extent that the switch in defensive formation has altered his performance levels. If the manager is to stick by his plans to make a back four work this season, the best option for the 25-year-old could be to play on the left side, as he did at times when Julen Lopetegui was at the helm. The boss must take the opportunity to be more flexible with his side away from the pressures of the Premier League, with Toti being one player needing to improve promptly.
This summer, Chiquinho was linked with a host of interest, however, has made it clear that he wants to fight for a place in O’Neil’s side. There has been a lot of attention regarding the winger in the build up to tonight’s fixture, with the 24-year-old being the featured player on Wolves’ matchday programme. It would be fitting to see the forward get a chance to impress the manager this evening, particularly at a time when the club are in limbo over recruiting a new attacker. Chiquinho was dubbed ‘electric’ during his brief loan spell at Stoke City, and could now have the perfect opportunity to show his worth in the Carabao Cup.
Another player who will be hoping to take his opportunity is Dan Bentley, who was Wolves’ cup goalkeeper last season. The Englishman didn’t take his opportunity in the cup last term, with a disastrous display against Ipswich Town memorable for the wrong reasons however, it could be his last chance to impress. Wolves’ interest in Sam Johnstone is heating up, which could offer Jose Sa a competitor if the goalkeeper remains at the club, making Bentley’s chances even more likely. Bentley could have the perfect opportunity this evening, as Wolves fans will be craving a strong performance between the posts after Sa’s nightmare display against Chelsea.
Wolves' Need for a Win
Wolverhampton Wanderers are set to host Burnley at the Molineux Stadium on Wednesday evening in the second round of the EFL Cup, still seeking their first win of the 2024-25 season. The hosts have lost both of their opening two matches to the new Premier League campaign, while the visitors have won two and lost one of their first three Championship fixtures. Wolves have had a varied experience in the six seasons since earning promotion to the Premier League as champions of the Championship in 2017-18, marking their first return to the top division since 2011-12. They excelled in the first two campaigns back in the top tier of English football, finishing seventh in both 2018-19 and 2019-20, but have failed to replicate that success in the subsequent years. Since then, Wolves have finished 13th, 10th, were involved in a relegation battle in 2022-23, ending just seven points above the drop zone in 13th, and most recently placed 14th. Gary O'Neil took charge just days before the 2023-24 campaign after Julen Lopetegui departed the club over financial concerns, and he appeared set to guide the team to a comfortable top-half finish as they sat 10th on matchday 29. However, Wolves suffered an extremely disappointing end to the season, losing eight of their last 12 fixtures and slipping down to 14th in the table, leaving O'Neil with ambitions of a first top-half finish since 2021-22 this year. Wolves have endured a less-than-ideal start to the 2024-25 season, suffering a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in their opener, followed by a humiliating 6-2 loss at home to Chelsea. After those two results, O’Neil will be desperate for his side to pick up their first win of the new term against Burnley, who Wolves have only beaten once in the last nine meetings.
Burnley's Squad Depth Issues
Burnley enter into this game under difficult circumstances, with 16 players having left the club so far this window and rumours of more departures before the transfer deadline, leaving Scott Parker's side with a concerning lack of squad depth. This was glaringly obvious in Burnley's 1-0 defeat to Sunderland in their most recent outing, where they had to name two goalkeepers and three youngsters on a bench of just seven players, while central defender Luke McNally was sent up front in an attempt to chase an equaliser. That defeat to Sunderland ended Burnley's perfect start to the Championship season, impressively beating Luton Town 4-1 and Cardiff City 5-0 in Parker's first two games as manager, marking a strong start to a campaign with aims of returning to the Premier League after last year's relegation. Parker will be hoping Burnley can address their squad depth issues in the remaining days of the transfer window, while the new manager will be aiming to return to winning ways against Wolves on Wednesday.
Team News and Potential Lineups
Wolves will be without Enso Gonzalez and Sasa Kalajdzic as they continue their recovery from cruciate ligament injuries, with Gonzalez not expected to return until April 2025 and Kalajdzic likely to be back by late October. After a disappointing collapse in the second half against Chelsea saw Wolves concede four goals to lose 6-2, O’Neil could heavily rotate his team in search of a much-improved performance. Last weekend's goalscorers, Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen, have been shining lights in both of their two defeats thus far, and the pair could remain in the starting side here. As for the visitors, Aaron Ramsey, Ameen Al Dakhil, Hannes Delcroix, Hjalmar Ekdal, Jordan Beyer, Mike Tresor and Nathan Redmond are all expected to be unavailable due to injury. Due to their lack of squad depth, a similar side to the one that lined up against Sunderland could be fielded against Wolves on Wednesday.
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:Bentley; Semedo, Dawson, Mosquera, Ait Nouri; Gomes, Doyle; Podence, Cunha, Sarabia; Larsen
Burnley possible starting lineup:Green; Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Pires; Vitinho, Massengo, Brownhill, Amdouni; Rodriguez, Foster
Prediction
Wolves have a much stronger squad than their opponents due to Burnley losing 16 players so far in the transfer window, suggesting the hosts will win this one. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Key Players to Watch
Wolves will be looking for a strong performance from several players, particularly those who underperformed against Chelsea. Here are some key players to watch:
Rayan Ait-Nouri: The Algerian left-back had a difficult time against Chelsea and will be looking to redeem himself. O'Neil might even consider playing him in a more attacking position to utilize his strengths.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde: After impressing in the first two Premier League games, Bellegarde will be hoping to secure a consistent starting spot. A strong performance against Burnley could be a turning point for him.
Toti Gomes: The defender hasn't lived up to his form from last season and will need to show improvement. A change to the left-back position could be a positive move for him.
Chiquinho: After a successful loan spell at Stoke City, Chiquinho is eager to prove his worth at Wolves. This Carabao Cup match could be a perfect opportunity for him to shine.
Dan Bentley: With Wolves' interest in Sam Johnstone, Bentley might have a final chance to impress. A strong performance against Burnley would be timely.
Jorgen Strand Larsen: The Norwegian striker scored his first goal for Wolves against Chelsea and has shown promise. He'll be looking to continue his good form against a weaker Burnley defense.
Conclusion: Can Wolves Bounce Back?
While Wolves have had a rough start to the season, the Carabao Cup offers a chance for them to regain confidence and secure their first win. Burnley, with their significant squad issues, present a potentially favorable opponent. O'Neil will be hoping to see a much-improved performance from his team and a return to the back four formation that worked well in pre-season. Can Wolves find their winning formula and advance in the cup? Only time will tell.
